Alcopops, which fuelled binge drinking for a generation, are in terminal decline and could disappear within a few years, the government claims.

Drinkers who were once drawn to sweet, garish drinks like Hooch, Two Dogs and WKD have switched to more sophisticated alternatives.

But sales in alcopops which boomed in the 1990s and early 2000s have slumped by 78 per cent in the last decade, according to official figures.

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Alcopops are now in terminal decline and the market could disappear altogether, the government claims

The generation of 18-30-year-olds who
were first wooed by alcopops have grown up and moved on to wines and
real ales, while the next generation prefer premium tipples like spirit
beers and flavoured ciders.

The
market in pre-mixed alcoholic drinks, dominated by alcopops, is now
said to be worth barely half the £1billion value seen in 2005.

A total of 105,194 hectolitres of alcopops were sold in 2002, but last year it fell to just 22,942 HL.

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The slump has now prompted health minister Earl Howe to predict pubs and off licences will call time on the alcopops altogether.

‘Sales
of alcopops are in marked decline, to such an extent that the market
for these products looks like disappearing in the next few years,’ he
said.

‘It is always a concern if people are putting their health at risk by drinking too much alcohol or consuming too much sugar.'

At their peak in 2002, alcopops accounted for 12 per cent of all the alcohol units consumed by women in the UK but by 2009 it had fallen to just 4 per cent

He had been challenged in the Lords by
Labour peer Lord Turnberg, who warned high-sugar alcopops ‘contain more
than 170 calories a bottle - about the same as a sweetened chocolate
milk drink - as well as the alcohol’.

But
Earl Howe insisted: ‘One should not always assume that an alcopop is a
high-calorie drink. For example, ready-mixed gin and tonic is
technically an alcopop, but very often low-calorie tonic goes into it.’

Supermarkets
are coming under pressure to add calorie counts to their own brand
alcohol, in an attempt to encourage drinkers – particularly women – to
curb their drinking.

The drop in alcopop sales is blamed I part on shifting social attitudes.

According to the Office for National Statistics, women over 65 drink more often than their younger counterparts.

A generation which become hooked on alcopops has grown up and moved on to more sophisticated alternatives

Some 14 per cent of seven female pensioners consume alcohol at least five days a week compared with just 2 per cent for those aged from 16 to 24.

There has been a sharp decline in the role alcpopos play in the nation's drinking.

At their peak in 2002, alcopops accounted for 12 per cent of all the alcohol units consumed by women in the UK. But by 2009 it had fallen to just 4 per cent.

In 2012, just 2 per cent of drinkers said they drank alcopops on their heaviest drinking day of the last week, compared to 46 per cent who said wine and champagne, 22 per cent who downed spirits and 39 per cent who drank beer, lager and cider.

Alcopops were most likely to have been drunk by 16-24 year old women (11 per cent) but this dropped to just 2 per cent of 25-44 year old women.

Retail analyst Mintel said sales at off licences are down 12 per cent year-on-year.

‘One
of the main initial causes for the downturn was the image problem as
alcopops were targeted as one of the drinks causing social issues such
as binge drinking.

‘The name 'alcopops' itself was a problem and has strong connotations with being an immature and unsophisticated drink.’

‘The
strong popularity of newer categories such as spirit beers and
flavoured ciders with these younger drinkers partly owes to their
sweeter tastes,’ Mr Wisson added.

‘But
these drinks have also wisely focused on sophistication and a premium
image, making these often image-conscious consumers want to be seen
drinking them.’

11 per cent of 16-24-year-old women said they drank alcopops on their heaviest day of drinking in the last week, according to the ONS

Emily Robinson, Director of Campaigns at Alcohol Concern said: 'We have always believed that alcopops of the 1990s was a cynical attempt to recruit younger drinkers; especially at a time when the industry saw that they weren’t getting the normal flow of drinkers coming through.

'Though the alcopop is no longer as dominant we can still see it’s lasting impact on the market today with drinks such as fruit flavoured ciders and ready mixed cocktails being brought in.

'It also shouldn’t be forgotten that the alcopop Hooch has recently made a comeback.

'Alcopops were also particularly marketed towards young women in particular, who are now drinking at historically high levels.

'Today wine and spirits make up 73 per cent of alcohol consumed each week by women and between 2002-2010 female alcohol-related hospital admissions amongst this age group increased by 76 per cent.'